


For Your Sake

by TuningFork



Category: Frozen (2013)
Genre: Abuse, Angst, Child Abuse, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Familial Abuse, Family, Family Dynamics, Gen, Physical Abuse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-26
Updated: 2014-07-07
Packaged: 2018-02-06 08:56:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1852093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TuningFork/pseuds/TuningFork
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The King was ashamed that she would no longer look him in the eye. But his fear overpowered his shame, for he knew that simply hiding away would do no good in the end.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Contrite

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As of now, I forsee no pairing with Elsa involved (but I also started writing this fic yesterday at midnight, so a lot is up to change). There might be KrisAnna in the future, but it will not be the central focus of the story. I plan to put nothing of overtly sexual nature into the fic. If I do, I will put in a warning before that chapter. There will be mentions and depictions of child abuse. The story will loosely follow the canon.
> 
> Enjoy the ride.

Between bites of peas and brussels sprouts ( _eww_ ), Anna would sneak a peek across the table, hoping that a gaze would finally meet her own. Of course, each time would be to no avail. Elsa would be looking down at her own plate, half-heartedly pushing around whatever was in front of her. In fact, the few times Anna saw Elsa looking at something else, Elsa would be looking to the head of the table. Her glances were always short and nervous, as if Elsa was afraid of looking at her own father.

Anna didn't understand why Elsa wouldn't giggle with her at the dinner table anymore, why she would no longer point out something funny about a servant's pants or the cross-eyed gaze of the mounted moose head over the fireplace. In fact, Anna didn't understand why dinner was the only time she would see Elsa at all. No longer would Elsa and Anna ask to be excused at the same time, and run off laughing into Elsa's room to play with dolls or to read stories. Now, Elsa would stand up after eating barely half of her dinner, ask to be excused in a low voice, and quietly but quickly shut herself in her bedroom. It was a sudden change in routine, one that had lasted for a week, and then a month, and then an entire year! Anna hoped that this wouldn't last forever and ever. Just a few days ago, when Anna had said, "Happy birthday!" to her sister as she left the dining hall, Elsa hadn't even looked back, mumbling a "Thanks." that could be barely heard.

Tonight, Anna noticed another change in the routine. Elsa had seemed even tenser than usual, and her request to be excused even quieter. And after she had left, Mother and Father did not continue their awkward table-chat. They fell into a cold silence made no warmer by the crackling of the fireplace. Anna almost was able to resist the urge to break the tension, but she couldn't help herself.

"Why is Elsa so weird today? Or weirder than normal, I guess."

Mother shot Father a sharp look, the kind she gave her daughters when they had done something really bad. Father did not acknowledge the glare, but looked at Anna instead. In a kind voice he said, "Don't you worry about it, Anna. Why don't you go to your room and ask Gerda to read you a story?"

Anna wanted to protest, saying that Gerda had read her stories after dinner for a whole year, and that she wanted Elsa to read her stories instead! But even though she was young, she could notice the slight quiver in Father's tone. Anna obediently stood up and left the dining hall. But before she went through the door, she looked back, and saw her father exit in the opposite direction, towards Elsa's room.

* * *

"Elsa, please let your father in."

There was no reply. Adgar sighed. This time, he injected more sternness into his voice.

"Young lady, open your door. I have to talk with you. Now."

He heard the click of the lock opening, but the door remained shut. Adgar opened the door, trying to ignore how cold the doorknob felt to the touch.

Elsa was sitting on her bed, a book opened on her lap. From here, Adgar could tell that one of the pages was blank, and that the other had only a few, large words printed in the center. Elsa looked neither at the book, nor at him, rather opting to stare at the fascinating pattern of the thick carpet.

Adgar sat down next to her, and wrapped his arm around Elsa's shoulders. He felt her little body stiffen at his touch, but Elsa's eyes remained glued on the floor.

"Elsa, you know your mother and I love you very much."

She said nothing.

"I understand why you were so…"

Adgar strained for the word.

"...Uncomfortable at dinner today. You might think that I hate you, or that I don't love you anymore. But you must understand that this is all for your sake. For your sake and Anna's. You must understand."

He could feel Elsa squirm a bit under his arm.

"We must try everything, Elsa. The faster we can win over your...condition, the faster we can return to the way things used to be. You must understand."

He stood up from the bed, and instead kneeled in front of Elsa. She found that she could no longer escape looking at him by just looking down, so she turned her head to the side. He reached out, almost clasping her hand, but his arms decided they would be better off awkwardly hanging off to the side.

 _Sometimes, it is easier to address an army of thousands than your own daughter_.

"Sometimes, Elsa, we have to go through things we don't like. Sometimes, it  _hurts_." He rubbed his hand in circles on his chest. "It hurts for me as well, Elsa, it hurts so much. It hurts your mother as well."

 _It already hurt Anna_. Adgar quickly shook off the thought.

"But I believe it will make you stronger. It's all part of growing up, you see. I'm afraid that you have it harder than other children. But I know that you are also stronger than most other children, you're my strong little girl. I know that we will make it through this together, as a family."

Elsa had finally returned his gaze. Adgar could still see the betrayal in his daughter's eyes, but it was not as damning as before. He made himself hold her by the hand, not pulling away this time. He felt Elsa resist, for a moment, but then she surrendered, and her hand fell limp.

"I'm so sorry that I had… that you have to go through this. But see, you're getting better already! I really think you're getting better. Oh Elsa, please remember that I'll always love you."

The king pulled Elsa into a tight embrace. He immediately regretted it though, as he felt the girl wince at the contact. Adgar let go, stood up, and fell back, not knowing what to do or what to say.

"I'm so...I'm so sorry...I'm so sorry. Let me call Gerda, I'm sure she's in Anna's room…" He hurriedly exited. This time, he was the one not able to take his eyes off the carpet.

The door shut.

As soon as Elsa could no longer hear his footsteps, she locked the door. The anxiety within her unfurled like a sharp spring lodged in the cavity of her chest, and a rush of frost overcame the entire room. It had taken all the willpower she could accrue in the ten years of her being to stop the ice from unleashing itself when her father was here, and letting it go brought a dizzying, guilty relief. Her body fell limp on the bed, and she started to cry into her pillow, something she hadn't done since the night when everything had…

The memory did nothing but make her cry harder, but eventually, the exertion of the entire day won over, and she fell into a dreamless sleep. She would not stir when Gerda walked in a few minutes later. Deep into the night, she would not stir when Anna knocked at her door and asked why her big sister was crying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm relatively new to this fandom, and while reading the works of others, I found that no one had depicted what I wanted to see: a non-ridiculous fic where Elsa's parents had been even more aggressive in their attempt to suppress her powers. I didn't want completely evil parents or sheer pain and gore for the sake of it. I wanted to expand upon the relationships within a loving family, bonding slowly twisted into bondage. Hopefully, I will be able to achieve these goals, and hopefully, you'll be able to enjoy what I put to paper.
> 
> Thanks for reading.


	2. Wisdom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be mentions and depictions of child abuse. The story will loosely follow the canon.

Gerda knew that the King and Queen were young, and that despite their best intentions, she knew that they would make mistakes.

 _Some mistakes, however, were graver than others_.

King Adgar was known for a his wisdom in his court and the courts of other royals, but the castle staff that worked for him on a day-to-day basis knew that he had a stubbornness that ran in the family, from father to son. They also knew he could be brash with more personal matters than that of the state, such as when he suddenly decided to reduce the staffers to a bare minimum and close all of the gates without more than a single day's notice.

Gerda easily recognized the symptoms: a father willing to do anything to keep his daughters safe from harm, both real and imagined. She usually dismissed those irrational episodes easily. If the King's greatest fault was that he loved his children too much, it was possibly the noblest fault he could bear. Sure, he could sometimes be gripped with anger and fear, like any other man, but those were never accompanied with the malice and prejudice that could truly poison a heart. The household would break this icy spell of quiet and right itself again, sooner or later. It always did.

But as Gerda looked at the King's eldest daughter, tear trails still glistening on her pale cheeks, she wondered if she was not a good a judge of character as she made herself out to be.

Walking with muffled footsteps born out of years of experience, Gelda settled herself onto the bed, and opened the latches of her kit.

 _Gerda had almost finished reading_ Little Red Riding Hood _. Currently, she was asking Anna how a wolf would roar with his teeth all bared, and Anna had been replying with an adorable impression. There was a knock on the door, and it opened up to reveal the king, his face flushed with color. Gerda stood up and gave the customary bow._

" _Ge-Gerda, would you mind going into Elsa's room? I'm afraid she might still be in… I did not mean to…"_

 _The young King lacked all of the stature and dignity he usually possessed_. _He nervously rubbed his hand against his face. Anna looked at him curiously, wondering if this was a continuation of the weirdness at the dinner table._

" _Is something wrong with Elsa, Father?"_

_Usually, the King would have picked the girl up and said reassuring words right into her ear. Today, he leaned against the door frame, not really meeting the eyes of both Anna and Gerda._

" _Nothing's wrong, darling. Nothing… nothing, at all."_

_The King started to walk out of Anna's room, and Gerda followed in suit. As soon as they were out of Anna's hearing range, he turned around, and managed to look Gerda in the eye._

" _Tell her I'm sorry, Gerda."_

_Then, he turned around again and hurried away to his study._

Gerda slowly undid the dress the princess was wearing, slipping each arm out of its sleeve, and coaxing the entire garment off of her small body. The princess was too deeply asleep to do anything other than turn a bit, and for that, Gerda was quite grateful. For what could she do if Elsa was awake when she let out that loud gasp?

The girl's back was lined with thin, reddish bruises. Nothing that wouldn't go away in a day or two, especially considering how young Elsa still was. Nothing that should concern Gerda, really. Discipline by the rod was commonplace enough in this country, and Gerda herself had given her boys a sound spanking on the rare occasion she needed to reinforce an important lesson.

Then why did this trouble her so much? ' _It's because of her powers,'_ said a voice in the pit of her chest. Gerda was one of the select few that knew about Elsa's peculiarity, a true sign of trust from the girl's parents. Perhaps it was because they knew that Gerda's firm yet affectionate treatment of their daughters would never change because of the knowledge.

 _Your majesty, if only you could do the same_.

There was ice coating much of the room, slowly melting away into a wetness that would leave everything damp for days. Gerda had been noticing these results of what seemed to be uncontrolled outbursts more often. She was sure the King had been noticing them as well.

But maybe Gerda was misunderstanding the entire situation. Maybe Elsa had done something deserving of a stern chastising. After all, in the past Elsa had been as prone to mischief as her little sister (and she had been sneakier about it too). Or perhaps Elsa had began a streak a rebellion. At ten years old, she was a tad young to be caught in that storm called puberty, but she had been an early bloomer in other things as well. Maybe Elsa had told a lie that was none too white, or maybe she had damaged a valuable possession that she knew she was to be careful around with…

Yet no matter how many theories she spun as she spread an ointment on Elsa's back, Gerda knew that all of them were thin excuses that held little water. Elsa was too quiet, too mature, too _good_ of a girl to ever warrant anything more than a literal slap on the wrist. If anything, she wanted everyone else to be happy, even as she became more lonely by the day. Even if she managed to do something particularly terrible, the King would know that a serious lecture would go much further than physical punishment ever would.

No wonder the king was so guilty. He would never do something unless he believed it was the right thing to do, but the clarity of hindsight had illuminated the wrong of his deed. Hopefully, he would come to his senses after a long and sleepless night.

Gerda put a nightgown on Elsa, hiding away the painful sight under a layer of blue cotton. She changed the pillow cover for a dry one, tucked the little princess under the covers, and stroked her soft, almost white hair. A few moments later, Gerda walked out, and whispered an apology and goodnight.

* * *

The next morning, if the king noticed that his tea was cold and his toast was burnt, he said nothing about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wondering if I should make chapters longer or not. It's always such a perpetual problem for me. Also, sorry if the pacing is a bit slow. I want the story to center around the characters, rather than plot development, so bear with me. Again, thanks for reading.


	3. Maple

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be mentions and depictions of child abuse. The story will loosely follow the canon.

The bright morning sun poured in through the window, turning Elsa's figure into a small shadow against the golden light. The little shadow stood upright, except for her head. Her eyes were still stubbornly pointed downwards.

"Elsa, you can't look at the ground the rest of your life. You are going to be Queen someday. Queens look at adversity straight in the eye, even if they're afraid."

Upon hearing those words, Elsa obediently tilted up her face, stormy blue pools meeting directly with her father's line of sight. He held them for a moment, but then he turned away, as if he could bear it no longer.

"I-I realize that I was too harsh yesterday. Truly, Elsa, I did not want to hurt you. And I think I did."

The king walked a few steps closer, and gestured upwards at a cluster of dripping icicles hanging off a rafter.

"And despite our efforts, we could not stop this from happening."

Elsa's silence finally broke. "I tried, Father, I really tried! I put it off for almost an entire day, and I thought I could almost make it to bedtime-" Tears started to well. Adgar could see thin veins of frost spidering out from underneath her shoes, but it seemed like Elsa did not notice in her outburst. All the better, for what he was going to tell her.

Adgar knelt down on one knee, and stroked Elsa's head affectionately, a half-smile was on his lips. His eyes were still solemn.

"I know Elsa. It was a great effort on your part. In fact, I think it's the best we've ever done in a long time."

Elsa quickly wiped away the tears, and she tried to mirror her father's expression. It had been a while since she'd heard that swell of pride in her father's voice.

"Although we could not stop the ice, we could keep it at bay. And I think that was a true improvement. You were very brave, more than I hoped you to be. But..."

Adgar picked up a ruler from Elsa's desk. It was made of smooth maple, as pale as Elsa's skin.

"In order to win a war, we have to fight all the battles. I'm afraid that you have to be brave a little longer, and I'm sorry that I can't do it in your place."

Elsa bit her lip, but she stood taller than before. Adgar could imagine her with a sword in hand, fighting off monsters made of ice and snow. A little girl ready to become a warrior, still wearing a dress with tiny purple flowers on the hem.

"When your grandfather was king, and I was just a little boy, he used to tell me not to bite my nails. Of course, I didn't listen, seeing as I was as stubborn as a mule, and just about as clever. Your grandfather told me over and over again, but I kept biting until my nails were half the size of normal ones. So your grandfather finally decided to call me to his study."

He puffed out his chest, and furrowed his brow. "Adgar, even if you were a farmer in the fields, and not the crown prince of Arendelle, I would still make you stop biting your nails! It is a filthy, unbecoming habit that makes you look spineless and unable to control the most basic of whims. If you continue to act like a dirty animal, I will have to treat you like one."

"He then told me to bend over his knee, and proceeded to give me a spanking. I was just about your age, and it was quite humiliating for such a big boy to be treated like a baby. Worse, I started bawling for no reason, even though it wasn't that painful. Needless to say, whenever I started to bite my nails after that, I remembered the spanking, and my hand would come right back down."

Adgar chuckled softly, but Elsa did not laugh along with him.

"This situation is obviously different for you, Elsa. You're much smarter than I was when I young, and I know that your… powers aren't your fault at all, unlike my nail-biting. Still, I think a similar method would work. Elsa, could you please put out your hands?"

She reluctantly held out both hands, palms facing upwards. They had long, white fingers like her mothers', the kind that were good for playing a musical instrument. After all of this mess was over, Adgar would ask Elsa if she wanted to take piano lessons.

"Elsa, I just want you to know that this isn't punishment. This isn't supposed to be humiliating, although I know you'll feel otherwise. Think of it as a way to scare the ice away."

He drew in a deep breath.

"I should have said all of this yesterday. It would have many things clearer for you."  _Did it really?_ "It will be ten counts."

"One."

Adgar raised up the ruler, and brought it down hard onto her hands. Elsa flinched at the pain, and Adgar almost wanted to give her nine light taps and be done with it. But there was no point in making this painless. All that he said was true: it shouldn't be the humiliation that stops the ice, but the subconscious memory of pain, the way that a child would touch a hot stove once, but never again.

"Two. Three. Four. Five."

Elsa held up admirably, not making a sound, or even flinching. It was as if she had fallen into the rhythm of the strikes. With each hit, Adgar could see her palms growing redder and redder.

"Nine."

Adgar could see the shadow along Elsa's jaw grow sharper, as she bit down harder to keep silent. But he also saw that the frost underneath her had not spread. In fact, it looked like the patch of ice had shrank. The king waited no longer to deal the final blow.

"Ten."

Elsa stopped holding her breath, releasing all of it in one sigh. She stared at her hands, at the purple bruises slowly blooming. Out of the corner of her eye, she could that her father was staring at them as well.

"Are you alright, Elsa? Would you like me to call Gerda?"

She let her hands fall to the side. For a short while, the impact of the ruler would numb her from feeling anything.

"I'm fine Father."

"No, I'll call Gerda. She'll bring-"

"Really, Father. It's okay."

He bent down and picked her up. His arms clutched her in a tight embrace. Elsa didn't know what else to do, so she awkwardly returned it.

"My daughter, my little courageous knight. Tell me if you want to stop this, I'll do so immediately. We can figure out other ways stop the ice."

A pause.

"I'll be fine, Father. "

He set her down, giving her a little kiss on the cheek before letting go.

* * *

She walked down the corridor, the purple folds of her dress rippling with each graceful step. Suits of armor wordlessly saluted her from both sides. The king briefly considered running away to his study and locking the door, but he swept the thought away and braced himself for whatever his wife had in store.

"You know, I have this insatiable urge to slap you," said the queen. Her face was expressionless, but her ears and cheeks glowed a faint red. "In fact, I've had it since last evening. Of course, my mother taught me better, but I fear that the manners instilled in me having been wearing quite thin. What course of action do you recommend I pursue, Adgar? Should I take a walk in the shade of the castle orchards? Should I visit the father in the confessional? Or should I indulge myself this one time?"

"Idun, I know what this is about, but-"

The queen moved closer to the king, close enough for him to feel her breath on his neck. "Perhaps instead of my bare hands, I should use a belt. Would you do me a favor and stay in right here, while I go and get one?"

"Look," said the king, as he laid a hand on his wife's shoulder. "Your anger is warranted, and if you need to let it out on me, feel free to do so. But I would truly appreciate it if you listened to me for just a few minutes, so that you could understand why I'm doing this. "

Idun swatted away his hand, and pulled back. "Oh, there's no need to for you to reason with me. I perfectly understand your reasoning. I understand that you think that training our eldest daughter like a circus animal will help her control her powers."

"I object to how you said that, but that's not the point. Idun, I'm afraid that merely separating her from Anna is nothing but avoiding the bigger problem at hand here. She's having an increasingly harder time controlling herself, and at this rate, she'll endanger both herself and anything near her. We have to take more aggressive measures before it's too late."

"More aggressive measures? You talk as if you were dealing with a rivaling country, not Elsa. Are you so afraid of your own daughter that you can't think more clearly? She's only ten years old, we have plenty of time to find other, less brutish ways of helping her."

"Do you think that this was the first thing that came to mind? I've been trying to find some other way for the past year. I've visited the chief of the trolls again, I've looked through all of the magical texts the family owns, including the darker ones. The reality is that there is no magic wand that we can wave over her head, or some potion that she can drink. Keeping her inside the castle is nothing more than a preventive measure. The gloves I've given her provide a sort of mental barrier, but inevitably they'll fail, Idun, everyone knows it! Would you rather I lock her up in the dungeons like some mythical beast?""

The queen narrowed her eyes.

"I'm ashamed that you have even considered that, Adgar."

"Well, what do you suggest I do? You know that the last thing I want to do is raise a hand against my own child. But can you honestly think of anything better? If you can, please tell, because I'm at the end of my rope!"

Adgar could hear the blood drum through his ears, frustration burning his cheeks. There was silence for a few moments, enough time for the heat of his anger to subside and let him realize that he had not raised his voice in a very long time.

"I appreciate the fact that you acknowledge the error in your ways. However, knowing how hard-headed you are, you probably won't do anything to change them." Even as her husband boiled over, Idun retained her icy politeness. "I will have a quick chat with Elsa. Try not to do anything foolish until then."

The queen left the hallway, leaving the king alone in the corridor with the rows of armor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realize that the queen might be OOC (at least, compared to what little we've seen in the movie). However, I felt that a docile, quiet Idun was less interesting than an Idun with a little bite, especially taking into account how stressed and strained the King and Queen would be dealing with their daughter's situation.
> 
> Again, thanks for reading.


End file.
